These dates on the NBA schedule in which stars will return to play their old teams should be circled on every fan’s calendar.
This was a crazy year for free agency in the NBA. A lot of people that many fans believed were going to be one-team players bolted for other teams, including Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, and of course, Kevin Durant. In the case of Rose and Wade, you could argue that they needed to move on, but Durant had a good situation in Oklahoma City, yet he still joined the team that had just knocked them out of the playoffs.
While the fan bases of these teams will feel betrayed, they will make for the best games on the 2016-17 NBA schedule, and ones that everyone should have circled on their calendars. That’s why we have the dates for each of them, as well as TV info.
To be clear, we’re only going to highlight the first games of some of the higher profile free agent moves. Not many people will care about Matthew Dellavedova’s first game against the Cleveland Cavaliers or Jared Sullinger’s first game against the Boston Celtics. So long as they get the national TV treatment, they should be viewed by everyone.
Kevin Durant
Durant’s Golden State Warriors will play the Oklahoma City Thunder four times in the season, on these dates:
Thunder @ Warriors: November 3 at 10:30 ET
Thunder @ Warriors: January 18 at 10:30 ET – ESPN
Warriors @ Thunder: February 11 at 8:30 ET – ABC
Warriors @ Thunder: March 20 at 8:00 PM
Next: 5 reasons Kevin Durant's decision is worse than LeBron's
Dwyane Wade
Chicago may have been Wade’s hometown, but Miami Heat fans adopted him as one of their own. His first game in Miami will be interesting since there’s no telling what type of reception he’s going to get, but he should be applauded for everything he has done for that team.
Bulls @ Heat: November 10 at 8:00 PM ET – TNT
Heat @ Bulls: December 10 at 8:00 PM ET
Heat @ Bulls: January 27 at 8:00 PM ET – ESPN
Derrick Rose
And speaking of the Bulls, Derrick Rose will be returning to the United Center on as a member of the New York Knicks. Chicago drafted him first overall in 2008 hoping he could lead a new era, but injuries plagued his career far too often, and Jimmy Butler became the new face of the franchise. Needless to say, the match-up between those two will be one to watch.
Knicks @ Bulls: November 4 at 8:00 PM ET – ESPN
Bulls @ Knicks: January 12 at 8:00 PM ET
Bulls @ Knicks: April 4 at 8:00 PM ET – ESPN